Heretics book 3 - The Apocryphile Press

THE KINGDOM :: 375
younger Dane’s victims?” Dylan said, understanding dawning
in his eyes.
“Right.”
“Thet makes sense, ’cause there were an awful lot of ’em,
and some of them looked like they was straight out o’ the
Brady Bunch.”
Terry was nodding. “The younger Dane must have suffered
terrible PTSD. No wonder he wanted to rescue them—
to help them make their exit painlessly before his dad could
do it ritually.”
“Yes,” Richard agreed. “And in his mind, since his own
father was capable of such atrocities, weren’t all parents?
Didn’t all children need to be rescued? He really did see himself
as a savior, twisted as that seems to us.”
“An’ what about that whole overthrowing Heaven thing?
Obviously that campaign didn’t get off the ground,” Dylan
said hopefully.
“I think Dane’s patronage sort of derailed the Lodge’s
plans, which I guess is a good thing, unless you consider
what would have happened if he had succeeded.” Richard
stared at what remained of his cappuccino. “But don’t sell
them short. The Lodge is down, but not out. I’ll wager this
isn’t the last we’ll hear of them, or their nutso coup. In fact,
when I’ve had a chance to rest up a little, I’ve been thinking
of giving Larch a call and suggesting a game of chess over
sushi. Nobody minds being grilled quite so much when sushi
is involved.”
“Thet’s always been mah experience,” Dylan agreed.
They sat in silence together for a few minutes, mulling the
whole affair over. Then, tentatively, Dylan reached over and
put his hand on Richard’s arm. “So, dude, do you still hate
yerself?”
Richard smiled a large, sincere smile. “I don’t hate
Duunel, I don’t even hate Dane. I don’t hate Mussolini or